BECAUSE of its efficient nutrition program management, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) recognized Camiguin province’s keypoint in improving its nutritional status of the residents in the island.
Camiguin received the Regional Green Banner Awards during the November 6, 2015 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony at the Pryce Plaza Hotel.
The Green Banner Award is the highest recognition given to local government units with excellent implementation and management of nutritional programs.
Aside from Camiguin, the city level awardee went to Gingoog; while Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon bagged the municipality level awards.
About 32 barangays from all over the region were also recognized as Barangay Green Banner Awardee for their improved nutritional status.
Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Marissa Navales said the local government units (LGUs) have big contribution to the nutrition improvement in Mindanao.
"We encourage them to join our journey in reducing the status of under-nutrition, overweight, obesity, sustaining the nutritional status of children, lactating women, as well as the persons with disabilities," Navales said.
She said the region showed a significant improvement in the reduction of under-nutrition for the past three years.
"Other LGUs are performing good, some are even performing better, this only reflect na sadya lang naman na national awardee tayo," Navales said, citing the province of Bukidnon as a certified Hall of Famer.
Navales noted that Misamis Oriental showed the lowest prevalence of under-nutrition, followed by Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, with Lanao del Norte tailing on the list.
"But we are challenging Lanao Norte to validate the result, pwedeng tingnan nila yung mga factors, and revisit para naman next time, okay yung result,” she said.
"Join the bandwagon of NNC in working toward one region in nutrition, if we work as a team, I think there is no other way but to go up in our performance," Navales added.
The NNC launched their evaluation in the municipalities since last year, pushing for "replication strategy" by engaging outstanding performing LGUs to serve as coaches and mentors in evaluating the nutritional programs.(SUNSTAR CDO/MANGO DIEZ Member)
